Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-02
STEADY STEADY!
HOW ARMIsTKAp LEAD HIS MEN Al
GETTYSBURG.
The Celors Of the Fifty-third Virgins
Lieutenant Robert Tyler Jones
Describes the Charge.

10 he Editor Of HE Dispatch;
Noticing the communication OF "a IN
your issue Of the oath instant, beg 10 say
that | was not Sommlnder OF the coloi
guard Of the Fiity.third regiment "nen !,
made lis famous charge at GettYspuIB'
had been detailed ~ one OF the c0lor'suMu
men, and the position OF commander OF tno
coloI.puard vas held by the gallant b'a .,,
hurp. who ftll early I'm the charge Inc
error of your CORES pendent may nave IT,
suited from the following circumstances
We had been lying upon our races II,
hroiling July sun for several hours, WIN
tie artillery playing over us, when Ipe Or
der came from the valiant Arhlsteiu,
=. r,.c- men" I shall never FORGET The
sccrc. For hours we had watched tne nero
-. he moved with easy step IN iront OF our
line surveying the field ana marHlhg the
met OF the canuOnade. once rose upon
nv fect, when he ordered me 10 lie dcWn;
and when had justified myself DIV MS own
example, he replied: eyes, Dut never NINA
me: we want men with gIInsin their han1s.
Now, as his stcntOrian voice rang IKE
buple-blast in the air, every man rose TO
his feet like clOck-work, our line presenting
the precision and regularity OF dress pl-
race. Armistead took his position righl IN
front Of the flag, which was held by Black
burn. Then drawing his sword IN man
ncr peculiar TO himself, he exclaimed, in
words Of thrilling import as he waved II
above bis head: "Men, remember what yol
are fighting for! Your homes, your hce.
sides, and your swecthearts Follow me
who could have refused to follow MN
Ps he unl0osed bis collar, threw away his
crayst. and placed his old black hat upon
;bc pOint OF his sword and held 1t hlgh IN
fbc air and walked with measured step TO-
wards the enemy? The enemy opened
with redOuhled fury upon our exposed
ranks, but all that Armlstead said as the
missiles Of death made fearful gaps IN our
advancing lines was, "Steady, men
Steady!" Blackburn soon fell, and thea
another and another Of the guard. The
1tg Law prone upon the field, shot IRON
some gallant hand, when took 1t up ana
shook IFS folds in the air. Still onward we
went amid storms 81 shot and death until,
lust as we made orr dash and raised the
"rcbel WE'LL" ArGi,'r ID, who had Kept
phead Of his line al ,hc way, said to me
.sRun ahead. Bob, and cheer them up
I obcyed and passed him, and shook the
flag over my head. Then the wild charge
began" In the excitement OF the hour L
only knew that had reached the forth "a
tions. when faint from the loss OF blood,
duc 10 a shot in the head, was about to
,all with the dag in my hand when ! saw
Henry Coalton standing In the fortiiic1tions.
had presence OF mind 10 hurl the nag To
him. and saw the brave fellow take 1t when
| lost consciousness.
we All know the results OF that day.
Armistead, the hero, fell IN the very arms
of victory, having penetrated beyond tne
fortI6caIions. out Of sixty-tiye men in the
Charles City company, to which belonged,
but Eve escaped death or capture.
Nv own comrades did me more honor
than deserved. was promoted to the post
ton OF ensign and commander OF the color
Guard of the regiment, with the rank OF
Gr,t lieutenant, and appreciated the hon
or MI tbe more, as ! believe the rank OF
cpS,0n had not existed before, the CON-
r,arder If the colOr.guard previously
Ia,inc taken rank As sergeant.
trust, Mr.. Editor, you Will look with
lcui,pi eve over the personal features OF
tbi- narrative, which in some degree were
uradyoidable. | would have spared the
rullic these details had ! not been called
upon by name in your paper. But would
even risk the charge Of egOti.m il the OPP
rortuniiy has been embraced to do honor
{, the brave \rmi,lead. Aylett, Martin,
and Blackburn, and the thousand other
brave fellows who wrote their names tnat
day Of Gettysburg on the eternal tablets OF
fame. ROBERT lfLtH JoNES'
Richmond, July l, 1887.